NIMBUS
82
NIMBUS
later became the rule, gives a more obvious impression
of light. The explanation of the cross nimbus variety "
is obvious. Since the sixth century it has character-
ized Christ and the Lanib of (!od, but occasionally
it is given to the other Persons of the Trinity. In
connexion with it, in the fourth and fifth centuries,
there was a manoyram nimbus. The cross and the
monogram of Christ were besiile or above the heatl
of Chri.st and the Lamb. In the fifth century they
were brought to the U])pcr edge of the nimbus and
finally both were concentrically combined with it.
In more recent times the monogram and the mono-
gram nimlnis have become more rare. The letters
A and S2 for Christ and M and A for Mary, were in-
tended for monograms and frequently accompanied
the nimbus.
Development. — In orderto understand the nimbus and its history, it is necessary to trace it through the different branches of art. The frescoes in the cata- combs have a peculiar significance inasmuch as they determine the period when the nimbus was admitted into Christian art. The numerous figures lacking this symbol (Christ, Mary, and the Apostles) show that before Constantine, representations of specifi- cally Christian character were not influenced by art traditions. Only pictures of the sun, the seasons, and a few ornament al heads carried a nimbus at that date. The single exception is found in a figure over the well- known "Ship in a Storm" of one of the Sacrament chapels. But it is to be observed that in this case we are not dealing with a representation of God, but merely with a personification of heavenly aid, which marked a transition from personifications to direct representations of holy personages. The figure seems to be copied from pictures of the sun god. On the other hand, several pictures of Christ in the catacombs, dating from the fourth century, indicate the period when the nimbus was first used in the way familiar to us. Besides the Roman catacombs, others, especially that of El Baghaouat in the great oasis of the Libyan desert, must be taken into account. For the period succeeding Constantine, mosaics fur- nish important evidence since they present not only verj' numerous and usually definite examples of the nimbus, but have a more official character and give intelligent portrayals of religious axioms. Although allowance must be made for later restorations, a con- stant development is apparent in this field. The treatment of the nimbus, in the illuminating and illus- trating of books, was influenced by the caprices of the individual artist and the tradition of different schools. In textiles and embroidery the most extensive use was made of the nimbus, and a rich colour scheme was tle- veloped, to which these technical arts are by nature adapted. LInfortunately the examples which have been preserved are only imperfectly known and the dates are often difficult to determine.
Sculpture presents little opportunity for the use of the nimbus. In some few instances, indeed, the nim- bus is painted on ivory or wood carvings, but more often we find it engraved or raised in relief. Figures with this emblem are rare. On the sarcophagi we find that Christ and the Lamb (apart from the sun) alone appear with a circle or disc, the Apostles and Marj-, never. In ivorj' neither Mary nor Christ is so distinguished.
In the course of centuries the Christian idea that God, according to Holy Scripture the Source of Light and Divine things, must always be given a halo, be- came more pronounced. This applied to the three Divine Persons and their emblems, as the Cross, Lamb, Dove, Eye, and Hand; and since, according to Scripture, saints are children of Light (Luke, xvi, 8; John, xii, 36), as such they should share the honour. Preference was shown for the garland or crown (corona el gloria corona) of Christ which was also bestowed by God as a reward upon the saints, either spiritually in
this life or in the Kingdom of Heaven (Ps. xx, 4;
Heb., ii, 7 sc].). Garlands and crowns of glory are
frequently mentioned in Holy Writ (I Peter, v, 4;
Apoc, iv 4, etc.). The nimbus also takes the form
of a shield to emphasize the idea of Divine protection
(Ps. V, 13). A truly classic authority for the explana-
tion of the nimbus may be found in Wis., v, 17: the
Just shall "receive a kingdom of glory, and a crown of
beauty at the hands of the Lord: for with His right
hand He will cover them, and with His holy arm He
will defend them." (In Greek, "Holds the shield
over them".) Whereas in pagan art, the rayless nim-
bus signified neither holiness nor Divine protection,
but merely majesty anil power, in Christian art it was
more and more definitely made the emblem of such
virtue and grace, which, emanating from God, ex-
tends over the saints only. LIrban VIII formally
prohibited giving the nimbus to persons who were not
beatified. Since the eighteenth century the word
"halo" has been incorporated into the German lan-
guage. In Western countries John the Baptist is the
only saint of the Old Testament who is given a halo,
doubtless because before his time the grace of Christ
had not yet been bestowed in it.s fvdlne.ss.
We have already found that t lie aureole may be con- sidered exclusively a device of Christian art, especially as it was reserved at first for the Divinity, and later extended only to the Blessed Virgin. Instead of sim- ple beams it often consists of pointed flames or is shaded off into the colours of the rainbow. This form as well as the simple nimbus, by the omission of the circumference, may be transposed into a garland of rays or a glory. A glory imitating the sun's rays was very popular for the monstrances; in other respects the lunula suggests the nimbus only because the cost- liness of the material enhances the lustre. The aure- ole obtained the Italian name of mandorla from its almond shape. In Germany the fish was agreed upon for the symbol of Christ, or a fish bladder if it had the shape of a figure 8. God the Father is typified in later pictures by an equilateral triangle, or two interlaced triangles, also by a hexagon to suggest the Trinity. If there is no circle around the cross nimbus, the three visible arms of the cross give the same effect. Oc- casionally the mandorla is found composed of seven doves (type of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost), or of angels. The latter are used in large pictures of the Last Judgment or heaven, for instance in the "glories" of Italian domes. In painting, haloes of cloud are sometimes used for delicate angel heads, as in Ra- phael's works. Angels also form a nimbus around the head of the Mother of God. She is also given the twelve stars of Apoc, xii, 1. Saint John Nepomucene has five or seven stars because of the great light which hovered over his body when he was drowned in the Moldau by order of King W'enceslaus. Artists have developed many varieties of the nimbus and aureole. Since the Renaissance it has been fashioned more and more lightly and delicately and sometimes entirely omitted, as the artists thought they could suggest the characteristics of the personage by the painting. It is true that the nimbus is not intrinsically a part of the figure and at times even appears heavy and intrusive. A distinguishing symbol may not, however, be readily dispensed with and with the omission of this one the images of the saints have often degenerated into mere genre pictures and worldly types. A delicate circlet of light shining or floating over the head does not lessen the artistic impression, and even if the charac- ter of Christ or the Madonna is sufficiently indicated in the drawing, yet it must be conceded that the nimbus, like a crown, not only characterizes and dif- ferentiates a figure but distinguishes and exalts it as well.
Stephani, Ueber den Nimbus u. Strahtenkraitz in den Werkeri der alleren Kunsl in Mimoires de V Acadimie de Sl.-P(tersbourg (I8b9) ; Krucke. Der Nimbus u, verwaTldte Attribute in der frUchristl, KuTut (Straaburg, 1905); Mendelsohx, Heiligenschein in der
